


Balance

by ScrappedPrincess



Category: DMMd, DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fantasy, M/M, kouao - Freeform, mizusei - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 22:49:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6096469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScrappedPrincess/pseuds/ScrappedPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mizuki is the prince of a peaceful kingdom and when he receives a gift that may upset the very balance of the world, his biggest problem may be keeping his hands off it. </p><p>~* Fantasy AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. one

“The baron promised me such an amazing gift that I would not hesitate to give him the west forest as his own,” Mizuku adjusted the crest in his silk shirt as he stared in the mirror. “Are you sure you don’t want to come see what it is?” 

“I am, besides I’d like to get a head start towards the west city, if I can reach it by nightfall I can be back within two days, your highness.” Koujaku stood at the back of the royal bedroom leaning against the wall with his arms folded into the sleeves of his silk robe. “Besides that man has a wicked aura about him.” 

Mizuki snorted a laugh, “I don’t even have faye blood and I can tell. I don’t blame you. What do you think he wants that forest for so badly though. That’s what I can’t figure out. There is nothing there.”

“Will you give it to him?” 

“Probably not, unless this gift is really as amazing as he says. Although,” Mizuki turned away from the mirror. “I can’t think of anything that would make me want to.” He clapped a strong hand on Koujaku’s shoulder. “Ride safe my friend. If this gift turns out to be edible I’ll save you some.” 

“Don’t bother. I will return soon, your highness.” They left Mizuki’s chambers together, Koujaku leaving for the stables and Mizuki towards the great hall. He took a deep breath before entering the lavish room. It was already filled with several of his advisers and those of the baron’s court. Conversation halted and echoed for a moment longer reverberating off the painted ceiling. 

“Your Highness,” the baron stepped forward out of the crowd with arms out spread. His thinning hair was swept to the side to hide the sheen of his head, his mustache was stiff with wax and his velvet clothes clung to each button stretched over his portly self. 

“Baron of Isle, thank you for traveling so far, I trust you fared well.” Mizuki kept a professional distance from the man and felt better once his advisers came to stand nearer. 

“Of course, your kingdom is always such a pleasant one to travel through.” He smiled wide showing yellow teeth under his mustache. 

“Thank you. Shall we discuss the matter you traveled so far for.” Mizuki gestured towards a table that had been brought in and decorated with documents and refreshments just for their meeting.

“Yes, yes,” they sat facing each other and the baron carefully lead the conversation. “As you know I have interest in the forest at the edge of the south border. And I-”

“Why?” Mizuki cut him off short. He grabbed one of the sparkling glasses from the table and poured a healthy amount of wine

“I um, well, I am need of a new hunting ground. It is one of my favorite past times and I have no good sport on the Isle. The south border is close enough I can travel and have my way with the forest without ever being too far from home.” Mizuki watched his mustache as he spoke unable to look away. 

“Those woods are old Baron, a treasure to the landscape really. We use it sparsely for natural materials, overuse may ruin the foundation of the forest.” In truth the forest was so large even if the baron were to spend a month roaming the land he may never run into the people of Mizuki’s kingdom who worked it for resources, but that wasn’t something Mizuki would say.

The baron laughed nervously, “I would hardly touch the land and do even less to the foundation, your highness, I am merely asking for permission to use it as a weekend playground for myself and business associates.” 

Mizuki leaned back in his chair crossing one of his legs and sighing, swirling the wine in his glass. “I don’t normally hand out portions of my kingdom for charity Baron, you can understand this is an odd request.” 

“Ah, I ask for no charity. In fact I brought you a gift, surely that will sway your decision, and maybe even convince you to join me on one of my weekend excursions.” He snapped his fingers and several of his advisers ran to the far door of the great hall to retrieve whatever the baron had brought. “I know, my lord has tamed a creature of the faye and taken it as a guard, so my idea for your gift stemmed from there.” 

“Koujaku?” Mizuki wanted him to clarify, but the sudden sounds from the open door startled him to his feet. Chains dragged against the floor and the muffled sound of hard breathing filled the silence. 

The baron stood as well throwing out his hands as his gift was presented. “He is still raw and untamed, but he is a treasure from the faye world, full of power and beauty.” 

Before him was a naked man, bound in chains and leather, a gag forcing his mouth open and a cover tightly fastened over his eyes. His skin was pale and red were he had struggled, his black hair was tangled in the restrains on his face, saliva and tears dripped down his cheeks and throat. They forced him to his knees in front of Mizuki. 

“What do you think?” The baron asked with obvious delight oblivious to Mizuki’s outrage. 

“I think you a sick and delusional monster.” Mizuki seethed. 

“What, but I thought this gift would-”

“This is not a gift! A gift does not have a pulse or soul, take that off him immediately!” Mizuki ordered the captors. 

“No, wait!” The baron stopped them. “He is untamed and powerful, his eyes have a magic that make men go mad.” 

Mizuki pushed past him and knelt to the floor. He took unbound the gag first. The faye boy coughed and gasped for air. Mizuki started on the chains around his arms. 

“Your highness please, I-”

“Get out!” Mizuki yelled over his shoulder.

“But the forest?”

“Get out! Get out of this room and get out of my kingdom. If you come back or step foot in that forest I will have you arrested.” The baron did not linger, he knew Mizuki did not make empty threats. He gathered his men and left. Mizuki held the smaller man’s shoulder, he was nearly limp in his grasp but Mizuki knew that he could still be dangerous. 

“The rest of you leave too,” he told his own advisers. They did with quiet words of parting. He waited until the door closed.

“Okay,” he whispered to man in his arms. He smelled like sweat but Mizuki could also smell the scent of dirt and iron, one he knew well as the scent of magic. “I know you are scared, but I won’t hurt you.” He tried to keep his voice calm but he knew his fear would smell strong to the man. He undid the chains and let them fall away. The smaller man’s arms fell to his sides. Mizuki dared to under the leather straps around his eyes. He untangled the soft strands of midnight hair before tossing it aside. Dark pools off black stared at him from under long eyelashes. The baron had been right, his beauty was inhuman and the flaring scent of his magic burned at Mizuki’s nose. 

His legs ached to move but he was held in place by an unseen force gripping his muscles. The world narrowed to only space between him and the man. He could feel its magic entering him and carving out his life, ready to be ripped away, and leave Mizuki nothing but husk. He wanted to scream to do anything to make the awful feeling of being pulled from his own body to stop. His vision vibrated as he tried to fight the feeling of magic violating him. The man’s face smeared into a horrific mask of beauty and death in front of him. 

“I can help you,” Mizuki choked on his words trying his hardest to hold on to his life. He fought to raise his own eyes to meet the gaze of the man. Black swam across his fading vision, black then suddenly red. Like the tension of a bent reed the world snapped back into place, Mizuki’s lungs filled with air and his muscles released letting him fall back, his heart hammered against his chest. He stared at the ceiling catching his breath, not realizing how close he had come to succumbing to death. He raised his head after a moment and looked between his knees. The other man had fallen unconscious, splayed out on the floor. Mizuki sat up and saw fresh red blood dripping from his nose and into his hair. 

“What the hell was that?” he let his head fall back again whimpering. “Koujaku please hurry back.”


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mizuki is the prince of a peaceful kingdom and when he receives a gift that may upset the very balance of the world, his biggest problem may be keeping his hands off it.
> 
> ~* Fantasy AU

The faye creature stayed asleep for a long time, completely unresponsive to anything. His shallow pulse and uneven breathing were the only signs he was even alive. He was thin and so pale he could have passed for dead from afar. Mizuki put him to rest in his own bed telling the nurses he wanted the man close, which was true. He really didn’t want him waking up and killing any of the medical help. He sat in the room a long time trying to figure out what kind of power he had used. 

The truth was he knew very little about the faye and their kind, only that they existed and rejected those born with half human blood like Koujaku. It was true his guard had the power to tame fire and his heart beat half in the world of magic, but Koujaku had left the faye at a young age and was often unwilling to talk about his past. From the little he did know and what Koujaku had told him, he gathered that this man was not human at all, fully faye and that he belonged to a clan. There were bands of black around his ankles and wrists denoting him to a specific tribe. Koujaku had explained the scrawling marks that covered half his body had once signified his clan. The way the black licked and cut through his skin looked like black flames which made sense. But the simple chaste bands of black that stained this man’s skin gave him no clue as to what kind of power he held. The only other thing he knew is the faye spoke their own language, and that may have been why this man had not understood him. Koujaku spoke the language of the lands just as Mizuki and had long ago forgotten his accent, only letting it lilt against his words after several drinks. Other than that, this was all Mizuki knew. Nothing else he knew could tell him how old he was, where he came from and most importantly if he was okay. And certainly not anything that would help him wake up. 

When night fell and Mizuki figured he wouldn’t be sleeping in his own bed he moved over to one of the long couches in the corner. He watched clouds pass over the night sky lit by the moon through one of the large windows. His eyes became heavy and his body still ached from what had happened earlier. He drifted into a light sleep, with his feet kicked up on the armrest of the couch and his hands behind his head. He stayed somewhat aware of the room, hearing the crackling of the fire in the hearth and vaguely aware of the sound of shifting fabric in the distance. His mind slipped back into consciousness when he felt someone watching him. His eyes lazily blinked open and in the moonlight he could make out another face much too close to his. Black eyes and stone features inches from his own. 

Mizuku shot straight up, heart jumping into his chest and his body reflexively trying to get away, resulting in him climbing on the back of the couch and nearly falling. The man watched him from his crouched position on the floor. His dark eyes catching the moon light and reflecting it almost like a cat’s. 

“What are you doing! A-are you okay? You scared me, sorry?” In his panic Mizuki asked all his questions at once trying to collect himself. After a moment of staring at each other he dared to moved so he was sitting on the couch. The other man stood slowly, his eyes still staring at Mizuki’s. He thought for a moment he felt the strange pull at the edges of his mind so he squeezed his eyes shut and held his hand in front of his face. 

“Please, don’t do that to me again, it was horrible.” The feeling stopped like a retraced whip all at once. Mizuki opened his eyes again daring to look through his fingers. 

The man had let his gaze fall to the floor. His shoulders seemed to fall and he looked even more frail. As he stood bare skinned in the moonlight, Mizuki’s heart softened. He looked pitiful. Carefully, Mizuki pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and handed it to him. 

“Will you sit?” 

The man stared at it, flicking his gaze between the blanket Mizuki and the spot next to him on the cushions. He feared the man didn’t understand, but after a long moment he took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders. He climbed on the couch as far as possible from Mizuki with his legs pulled up to his chest. Mizuki didn’t know where to start. 

“Do you know who I am?” He asked quietly, watching the man’s face for any kind of emotion. There was none and no answer. 

“Alright….can you understand me?” More silence. He pointed at his own chest, “I am Mizuki.” He spoke slow before pointing to the man, who flinched. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Mizuki soothed. “I won't hurt you. Can you tell me your name.” 

There was another long pause. Mizuki tried all the greeting he knew in different languages of the lands but none of them seemed to resonate with the other man. He slumped back into the couch and sighed. He pressed his palms into his eyes and groaned, “I don’t know what to do.”

There was a shift in weight before Mizuki could uncover his eyes he felt the other man move across him. Milky thighs straddled his hips and delicate fingers were on his chest. Those dark moon lit eyes became lidded and perfect lips pressed against his. His hands reached out feeling soft skin over small hip bones and the heat of another body caught in the fabric of the blanket. Mizuki wanted to pull away, but the exquisite heat and silken skin only drew him in more. He tilted his head up and arched his back to bring them closer. He lost himself in the feeling of the other man, their kisses becoming wet and messy as he pushed his tongue past those delicious lips. Their breathing became hot and Mizuki thought he heard a faint moan. He let his eyes open as his hands roamed lower over softer skin. There was no moonlight. 

“No!” He pulled back, lifting the smaller man easily off him and jumping off the couch. “Stop, you're doing it again, messing with my head.” Mizuki walked a frustrated circle in the room. “That is what you do, you control people. Unless, you actually want to,” he looked back at the man, staring back at him stunned mouth open. “No! No no no, I won’t. Listen, we’ll talk tomorrow, just,” Mizuki pointed at the bed, “go to bed. I’ll be out there.” He left the man on the couch and left the bedroom. 

His head was spinning just like before, he felt like he had drank too much and was coming back around. His body tingled with unfulfilled sensations and his lips felt hot where he been kissed. He sat in one of the big arm chairs in the main room and stared at the door of his bedroom. He ached to go back in there to throw that perfect body on the bed and do whatever he wanted to it, but he knew that must be the side effect of the power, or at least he hoped. He hung his head and breathed deep, he knew sleep would fight him but it was all he wanted. 

“Koujaku, my friend, please, please come back soon,” he whined, “you always know what to do.”


	3. three

Mizuki had no idea when he actually fell asleep but when he woke up it was light was pouring in the tall windows of his main quarters and he was stiffly balled up in one of the arm chairs. He groaned as he moved, one leg at a time and then bending his neck carefully as to not upset the already angry muscles. The light clinking of glass snapped his attention to the far side of the room. There, standing next to the cabinet of teas and aged liquor was the Faye creature. He was wearing one of Mizuki’s sleeping shirts which easily hung to his knees and looked more like a curtain draped off his little form. He glanced over his shoulder through a veil of black hair when he heard Mizuki stir but ignored him, instead focusing on what ever he was mixing into one of the fancy porcelain cups. 

“Good morning,” Mizuki grunted. He felt a little bitter about the proceedings of the night and hated the part of his mind that was wondering if there was anything under that night shirt. 

The man said nothing. He finished what he was doing and brought the cup over to Mizuki, setting it on the coffee table between them. He sat and gingerly crossed his long legs. “Is this for me?” Mizuki pointed at the cup. He sat up straighter, picking up a blanket from the floor he never remembered grabbing in the first place, still warm with the comfort of sleep. He tossed it over the arm of his chair. 

The man nodded curtly at the cup. He took a seat across Mizuki in a high back and floral covered arm chair. He pulled his legs up to his chest and watched Muzki out of the corner of his eye. His legs seems too long and so perfectly slender. The way his fingers laced together around his ankles and his ears peeked from behind midnight hair like twin crescent moons, and those deep star lit eyes were all too perfect, too clear and impossibly beautiful. Mizuki wanted to just stare endlessly at him, never moving from how they were. Everything about him seemed dangerous. 

Instead Mizuki focused on the cup in front of him. The amber liquid inside smelled strong of cinnamon and clove. He brought it to his lips and paused under the gaze of the Faye creature. “Is it going to to kill me?”

A small sound came out of the perfect little nose, a wispy snort of disapproval. “It’s a valid question after everything you have tried.” He closed his eyes and took a careful sip. The aroma and heat of the drink entered his head and cradled the aching and pulsing he felt in his skull like a warm blanket. He took another sip, letting out a small sigh already feeling a little better. He set the cup back on it saucer, shooting a careful glance at the other man. 

“So,” he raised his eyebrow as those dark pools focused on him still full of anger and distrust. “You can obviously understand me. You’ve given that much away. Now tell me can you understand clearly?” He was answered with a dark look and a slow single nod.

“Good,” he leaned back in his chair. “Then you can understand me when I tell you to get out.” Mizuki held back showing any feelings of triumph as he watched that dark expression break into one of stunned disbelief. Pink lips part and close like a fish suddenly out of water and unable to form a protest. “I mean it.” Mizuki continued. “Thanks for the tea, but you should leave. You obviously don’t want to be here and now that you are awake I don’t need you to stay any more.” Mizuki pointed to the large doors. “The staff can give something to wear and point you in whatever direction you need. I have a lot to catch up on so...” Mizuki pointed to the door again. 

The other man looked towards the door and then back at Mizuki. His fingers unlaced and his shoulders seemed to tense up. His mouth parted once more but still no sound came out. Mizuki watched him trying to figure out what he was thinking. All he could discern was a growing fear and a sense of despair. 

“Please,” his voice was light and soft, “I can not.” 

“Why? You wanted to so badly yesterday you were willing to commit an act against my life, and then try to seduce me. Both are highly punishable acts. And now you ‘can’t’ leave?” Mizuki scoffed, “I’ll need a better argument than that.”

“If I go now, I will die,” tears formed along the black lashes. “I didn’t...I don’t…” he was lost, and losing himself quickly. 

“Again, after what you did, tell me why I should care? You need to be clear or I will have you removed from the castle,” Mizuki used his most authoritative voice knowing the man was already scared.

He took a small breath. “I know I am in no right to ask for your help, but if I leave, I will never make it on my own with how I am now.” His words held a familiar lilt he heard from Koujaku on occasion.

Mizuki held his gaze for a long time. “Then I will arrange an escort for you. I apologize for what the baron did but under our current situation I will use my involvement as a moral excuse. I didn’t ask for you to be brought here. And be assured I will punish the baron, but that is as far as you will be concerned.” As he spoke he watched heavy tears pool in unyielding black eyes. 

“I have nowhere to go back too. That man, he took everything.” The Faye’s voice trembled with a weight that bore down on any residing anger Mizuki still harbored. He had seen people who had lost everything come before him and plead for help, but this was different. There was no hope for help in those black eyes. Rage and despair were the only things left now. 

“How do you expect to get anything from me if you don’t cooperate?” Mizuki snapped.

“Your reaction to my appearance was not what I had expected. If I had known you had no intention of,” he paused and deliberated his next words, “of using me in the way that monster had said, I may have reacted differently. But all I knew was that I was meant as a bartering tool for his plan. ” 

“Plan?” Mizuki wanted to remain stern but it wasn’t natural to him and he was getting frustrated. He ran his fingers through his messy hair he let out a long sigh. “Listen, I know what happened to you was unfair, but even still; this whole situation is all wrong. And I know this is terrible but at this point, I don’t know what to do with you.”

There was a long pause between them before the Faye spoke. “I know it is not an excuse but, I was scared. There is so much happening, much more than I think either of us understand.”

Finally, his lashes gave way, and several glittering tears plummeted down his face. He wiped them way roughly and quickly, trying his best to hide it despite being so clear. His undying pride only made him more beautiful as he struggled to hold himself as his whole world lay shattered around him. Mizuki felt guilty, here he was with everything and he was letting anger refuse this man sympathy. He felt just as despicable as the baron suddenly. Mizuki pulled the cloth that rested under his teacup and handed it to the Faye. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice still shaking. “I don’t know, I just know I am sorry.” 

“I did not become what I am today without learning to forgive.” Mizuki waited for the Faye to collect himself a little more. “I may be able to do more for you as well, but I need to know I am not making a mistake.” 

The Faye dried his face and Mizuki could see his thin chest rise with a deep breath. “You are wise to question those that you trust. I have wronged you and I know I don’t deserve your help, but if you help me, it will save more than just my life. And know that, after my attempt to control you last night, I am so weak, I have never met a human able to deflect me the way you did.” 

“There are other ways to kill me,” Mizuki said bluntly. 

“Then in conjunction with my apology what little my promise may mean, let me offer you information. That monster that brought me here has done more than just hurt me. I don’t know much but what I do may serve some purpose to you.” The Faye rested both tattooed feet on the ground now and faced Mizuki fully. A tentative knocking came from the large wooden doors near the entrance of the room.

“I am interested in what you know, and I want to talk, but I want to give all my attention and I can’t do that just yet. After what happened yesterday I left a lot unattended and need to catch up today.” Mizuki pulled himself stiffly out of his chair. The faye mirrored his action, standing and pulling the hem of the shift farther down his exposed legs. “Stay here, I’ll have someone bring you whatever you need, the bathing room is connected to the bedroom.” Mizuki explained. He was still in the same clothes as yesterday only now they were wrinkled and starting to itch. He did n’t want to bother changing at the moment. As he began to walk toward the doors the faye followed him. 

“Your highness, I…”

“Just stay here, alright. You’ve been through a lot, I know. We will talk later, for now, rest some.” Mizuki opened the door ready to leave but turned to face him once more. “Tell me…”

“Yes?”

“You obviously know my name, what is yours?”

The faye raised his head slightly and answered with a delicate kind of confidence, “I am called Sei, of Faye Nokt.” 

“Faye Nokt?” Mizuki had never heard of it. 

“Your highness, I can explain later, as you said.” 

Mizuki nodded and closed the door. He certainly hadn’t been looking forward to what he had to finish today, and he wasn’t looking forward to the discussion of the baron, but with the word rolling over in his mind, Mizuki began to look forward to the explanation of Faye Nokt and an insight to the entity that was hiding out in his private chambers. He knew so little of the Faye only from Koujaku. He was sure if his companion was here would know of the Faye Nokt, but for now Mizuki committed the word to memory and hoped to repeat it to his friend once they were reunited.


	4. four

“M’lord, your actions yesterday, although understandable have been put you in a difficult position,” Mizuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead he kept them dead focused on his advisor. The man had been a royal advisor to their family since the beginning of time as far as Mizuki was concerned. He had been at the side of his father until the late king finally succumbed to his old age, and now he stood next to Mizuki, pointing out all the things he could be doing differently. Normally Mizuki could listen and accept the criticism as helpful insight, but today, maybe due to lack of sleep, he just didn’t care. 

But his brooding didn’t seem to deter the advisor as he continued on. “We had to turn away the ambassadors from the Northlands and they were not impressed.”

“You’re right, it would have been a lot more impressive to have a naked slave, bond and crying at my feet while we discussed trade routes through the villages. I can have the poor creature beaten and dragged back in here if you think it’ll help?” Mizuki snapped. His advisor stared blankly. Mizuki’s temper was a docile beast but when provoked there was not much he could do. “You are acting like I received a toy and blew off my duties to go play. You are aware that I was given a living being, and expected to hand over a portion of my land? I think that is a little more important than making sure apples are delivered effectively to the south.” Their staring match continued, as Mizuki waited for the advisor to dare speak against him. Mizuki knew he was not making a big deal out of nothing but that was sure how the advisor was making him feel. Even if these kind of under the table dealings happened, it was the first he had ever encountered so it was a big deal at least to him. Hss advisor broke face first letting out a long exasberated sigh and walking a frustrated circle in front of Mizuki’s desk. 

Mizuki was ready to defend his point still but he was given a break when there was a small knock at the door announcing the arrival of one of the serving staff. A timid servant came in with a platter of shaking silver and elaborately cut fruits. She placed it next to Mizuki on the corner of his large wooden desk. He thanked her quietly. “Do you know if breakfast was delivered to my room as well?” 

She bowed her head before looking up at him. He didn’t recognize her, but thought immediately that Koujaku would like her. He tended to like delicate, pale and bright eyes companions. She was lovely, with light pink hair and a sweet voice, “yes, M’lord.” Her large eyes darted to the advisor and then back to Mizuki. Her chest heaved under the light fabric of her uniform, “but I don’t think he liked what he was given.”

“Stupid girl!” The advisor yelled at her. She recoiled as he grabbed her arm, “we are extremely busy for your opinions.” In their commotion the tray toppled over and Mizuki jumped up, retching the advisor’s hand from the girl. She ran from the room but shot a look back at Mizuki. 

“What is wrong with you?” Mizuki yelled back, his advisor pulled away. His robe was stained with cream and tea and he swore loudly as he saw the mess down his front. 

“It is not me who is acting out, M’lord. If you don’t focus you will lose more than the useless respect of a concubine,” he seethed. He removed the robe and used it to dab at the under shirt. Mizuki had had enough he was about to tell the advisor to leave when he noticed a strange mark on the inside of the man’s arms. All the royal council usually wore the robes that denoted their ranks so it was rare to see one so bare. But on his arm was what Mizuki took as a brand he wouldn’t have even noticed if he hadn’t just seen it branded into the chain he had to pry off the Faye’s neck. The crest of the barron. Suddenly a few things clicked into place and Mizuki felt a tendril of panic rise in his stomach.

“I am going to change,” Mizuki said dully, trying not to give away the surge of emotion he was feeling. 

The advisor was too irritated to notice, “I don’t see why, you are wearing yesterday's clothes. You need to be serious.” 

“Tell the Northern ambassadors I will contact them and compensate well.” Without another word Mizuki hurriedly rushed out of the huge office, letting the door slam behind him. There were servants busy in the halls, all of whom bowed and greeted him as he walked by. He tried to keep a normal pace but the urge to run was strong. He couldn’t help either, glancing at any exposed arms, looking for the mark, and wondering just how many he had missed before. It startled him to see it at all within his own home.

Finally, he made it to his private wing. The large double doors to his chambers were ajar and the sound of muffled crying was crawling along the marble walls. Mizuki pushed open the door and found the servant girl, fallen to the floor, crying into her hands. Mizuki knelt down and touched her shoulder. 

“Are you hurt?” 

She shook her head, still trembling, “I’m so sorry. There was nothing else I could do,” She pointed a shaking finger towards the bedroom doors. 

The curtains were drawn so it was still dark but it was obvious right away that something was wrong. The chair in the corner was overturned and a similar tray of food was scattered all over the floor. Mizuki was about to call out when he spotted a familiar tattooed foot near the edge of his bed. 

Sei was collapsed, half tangled in the light sheets. Mizuki carefully lifted him, feeling his light weight limp against him. His eyes were closed and there was a strange purple bruise around his lips. 

“Sei? Sei wake up.” Mizuki shook him gently, but it didn’t help. 

“It’s poison,” the servant girl was standing nervously at the door trying to collect herself enough to talk. “M’lord, I’m so sorry.” 

“How do we help him?” Mizuki felt lost. 

“He would need Faye medicine, but there is none in the castle. I know because,” she looked like she would cry again, “I saw the lord advisor search lord Koujaku’s rooms, to dispel anything useful of the Faye.”

Mizuki’s mind was racing. “Koujaku’s rooms? Is Koujaku...do you think Koujaku is in trouble? How would they have...” Panic tightened in his chest as he looked back down and the tortured face of the man in his arms. He was still breathing, but barely. 

The girl nervously looked over her shoulder towards the main door. “I don’t know M’lord. All I know is it is better he is not here now. M’lord, I only witnessed what I shouldn’t have, I am only a bystander, but I fear how deep the treatery goes.”

“Me too,” Mizuki grabbed the linen’s off the bed and wrapped them around Sei’s body. “I cannot stay here, not when I am so unprepared. And you, you need to leave, go hide and don’t come back until it’s safe for you to be seen.” 

She nodded, moving quickly across the room and gathering Mizuki’s cloak and some clothes. “I can help you leave. It’s the least I can do after…” she cast a sorrowful look to Sei, limp in Mizuki’s arms. “There are rumors of a medicine man that lives by the Forest of Lakes. My mother lives near and I can take you as far as her village without being seen, I know it.” 

Mizuki stared to follow her but stopped. 

“M’lord? What’s wrong.” 

“Forgive me, but turn down your sleeves, I have to be sure.” 

The girl didn’t hesitate, she dropped the clothes she was carrying and pulled her sleeves up her arm’s as far as she could. “I pledge my loyalty to the crown and would strip down in front of you to prove it your highness,” she began to untie her blouse with the same determination that she spoke with. 

“No no no no, that isn’t necessary, uh, no, but thank you,” Mizuki knew his face showed his embarrassment. 

“Fine, follow me.” She grabbed the clothes she had dropped and quickly lead the way. Mizuki knew the servants had their own passages that they used around the castle but Mizuki had never been in them, so his surprise when instead of bolting down the long hallway leading to the royal room they instead entered a small all but concealed hallway. Hidden behind a large painting the girl closed it behind them and lead Mizuki through a cobbled maze of little stair ways and doorways just small enough for Mizuki to bend through and still carry Sei. 

“These halls go all over the castle and even lead out to the servant quarters and stables.” She explained as they moved. Every once in awhile Mizuki thought he heard another voice or maybe recognized the back of a door, but he couldn’t be sure. He felt like he was dreaming, the world he had known was now a turned over mess of lies and secret halls. He couldn’t think about it yet. He told himself to think only one step at a time, and right now that step was escape his own home. 

They ran down a few more stairs and Mizuki thought for sure they must be under ground now, but when she suddenly stopped at the bottom of a particularly steep well, and cracked open the wooden door blocking them, sunlight flooded the little chamber. Mizuki squinted against the light but not for long as she quickly shut it again and swore. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

“There is a man standing near the stables. Someone I do not recognize.” She moved carefully in the small space, throwing one of the cloaks over herself and the other over Mizuki, making sure to cover his face and as much of Sei as she could. “We’ll need a distraction. I will run first and if he chases me then you go. Head towards the far end of stables, that is where the horses of the Northern ambassadors are kept waiting. They will be dressed.”

“What about you?” he was worried she planned on leaving or worse would be caught. 

She smiled at him and wide and confident smile. “I will be right behind you. Just start riding towards the the gardens. They will have the main gates blocked off, but,” she paused her expression changing to a more timid look, “there is a way to get into the city without being seen, one most in the castle don’t know of. Are you ready?” 

She hardly waited for his small nod before she threw open the door and took off in a full sprint. Mizuki had to remember to duck back into the shadows. Sure enough the man standing near the stables took off after her. Mizuki only hoped she could keep up her speed. He waited a moment longer before running towards the now empty stable door. 

Sei’s weight began to be bothersome and he nearly dropped the Faye as he stumbled into the dingy straw covered enclosure. The horse where agitated and as Mizuki ran past they became unruly. He had never seen them this agitated before. 

Just as the girl had said there were several horses tied with a single tether to open stalls, dressed in the leather saddles and blue clothes of the northern province. A boy, maybe half Mizuki’s age was sitting against the wall near the horses. He would have been unnoticed except when Mizuki got close enough he yelled. 

“You, stop! These are my Master’s horses!” his voice was a high pitch of fear and faux warning. 

“Your master will be compensated,” Mizuki snapped, pushing past the boy with no effort. 

“Hey! Just who do you think is going to compensate-” the boy stopped short when he finally got a look at Mizuki’s face. “Your Highness?” 

“Yes, untie the horse. Now!” He shrugged the cloak off his arms and hoisted Sei up, so he was laid limp over his shoulder just long enough to grasp the steer and pull with all his strength both of them onto the horse. He felt himself slipping but the frail hands of the boy pushed his back side all the way unto the saddle and he fell into place with a very uncomfortable swiftness. Sei’s weight fell too and the Faye moaned as his own bottom hit the leather saddle hard. Dark lashes fluttered and Mizuki saw his eyes strain to open. 

“Hold on, Sei,” he whispered as he readjusted them. Sei’s legs dangled over one side of the horse, still wrapped in the bed sheet, and the rest of him laid just as limp against Mizuki’s chest. As soon as his eyes slipped shut again the horse reared in anger. Mizuki held on tight but the stable boy was knocked over and the tether flew wild into the air. Mizuki pulled the steer away so the horse avoided landing on the boy and began to run. 

He heard the useless protests of the boy fade quickly as the horse ran clear out of the stable. In the seconds Mizuki had been in there the court yard in front of the stables had filled with several more men, none of whom Mizuki could recognize, but he didn’t stop to stare. He pulled hard to the left, the horse jerked in reply, not wanting to listen in its crazed state. The gardens were close but there was no way he could get the horse to go through the tiny trimmed hendges that marked the entrance. Instead he braced for full speed and lead it towards one of the cobbled garden walls. It breathed hard and snarled, it's heavy feet pounding the ground and shaking Mizuki’s spine with every full gallop until he felt the pivotal moment when all the muscles in the beast tensed. He gripped the lead with one hand and held onto Sei with the other as he pressed himself into the momentum of the horse as it cleared the wall. Hedges and ceramic pots were trampled under the massive hooves but they never broke speed. Mizuki lead it forward not even slowing as they destroyed the walkways and ponds of the gardens and ran towards the far wall. 

Once he steadied himself Mizuki looked around for any signs of the girl. He started to panic when he didn’t see her right away. How had she expected him to find her, how had she expected to keep up without a horse? Both questions were answered when all the sudden a hedge wall, not all that far away exploded as it was impaled by another horse. This one much larger than the one Mizuki rode and it was still trailing the remnants of a wooden plow behind it. On it’s back the girl gripped its long main and her legs clung to its bare sides as she fought to stay on. 

She spotted him and pointed forward, leading her horse into the lead. Mizuki followed. The gardens were large but at the speed the rode they were nearing the far wall rapidly. He could hear more horses and yelling from the distance behind him but didn’t look back. Instead he focused on the small thicket of trees they were approaching. He rode up as close to the other horse as he could. 

“Past the wall, veer left! Hard!” he could barely hear what she shouted over her shoulder. The trees got closer and closer and logic told Mizuki the wall that enclosed the garden was just behind them. He fell in directly behind the girl as the first tree whipped past his face, then the next, he barely had time to dodge it as his eyes fought the darkness of shade and searched for the wall. Just as he found the edge of mortared stone his heart stopped, they were too close, they wouldn’t stop in time, the girl was still going full speed. 

The sharp left. He saw her do it and he immediately did it to so hard his horse almost fell. He tried not to close his eyes as he braced himself to run into the wall, but it never came. Instead, somehow they were between the wall, on either side, the high cobblestones encompassed him. It was a tunnel, a fake wall, that covered the secret passage that ran parallel to the rest of the garden. 

Again the girl lead him with expert precision through the secret passage. It seemed to go forever with uncomfortable closeness. All it would take was one wrong step of the horse and they would be thrown into either wall at a deadly speed. Just when he thought he couldn’t take the anticipation any more the wall on his right disappeared, the passage was gone, and the true wall that encircled the entire palace continued. They had made it out of the palace.

There was no path yet but the girl still lead forward. She had obviously done this before and knew exactly where they needed to go. Sure enough, a worn dirt path soon appeared and gave them a solid direction 

“We made it,” she called over her shoulder. “We can reach the next town by early afternoon if we keep good pace.” 

Mizuki nodded. It was all he could do. He felt like he knew nothing now, so much had happened that he felt like he would need every second of the next few hours on that horse to process it. He dared look back at the towering wall of his home and wondered when the next time he would ever see it again. 

~~~

They rode in silence for quite a while. Somewhere in the frenzy of their escape the poor plow horse had lost its equipment and had slowed down a considerable amount.The beast looked tired and ready to rest but its endurance held out. Mizuki’s horse still had enough energy to angrily veer every so often jarring Mizuki out of his thoughts and making him hate the animal very much. Eventually they found a stream that ran along the dirt road and even a few sparse trees to sit under. 

Mizuki hadn’t ever been to this area. Nothing looked familiar, in fact there was nothing even there to look familiar, just plains of dried grass. When the girl had said a few hours to the next town she really had meant it. They had passed nothing but dirt and the occasional tree for miles, no villages, no outposts, nothing. Mizuki knew they were in what people called the Old Kingdom. Still part of the land under the rule of his name but uninhabited since the takeover of the throne. What had been here before were lone tribes or old villages that disbanded or migrated as soon as the newer land was available. As far as Mizuki knew there was nothing out here, and until the mountains it was pretty much uninhabitable land. The stream seemed to be the only sign of life in the region and had been a much needed break from the dull scenery and the unpleasant ride. 

Both horses stopped to drink from the stream and the girl helped Mizuki lower Sei off the stallion. He was still unconscious, and his breathing was shallow. The bruises around his mouth had spread to his throat now. Mizuki tried to readjust the bedsheet around him so his arms were resting against his belly and his legs had less room to shift on the horse, and even covered his head to keep the sun off his pale skin. 

“Here,” the girl knelt down next to them and offered him a small leather pouch filled with stream water. “See if you can make him drink.” 

Mizuki took it and cradled Sei against him, so his head lull back just enough his dry lips parted. He carefully tipped the water into his mouth but watched it just dribble down his chin. He wasn’t sure how much Sei actually swallowed. 

“He is reacting horribly. It’s possible they made him ingest iron. It’s toxic to his kind.” The girl sat back and watched Sei sorrowfully. “You should be able to reach the medicine man by tomorrow night, if we reach my village by sun up tomorrow.” 

“Do you think he’ll make it?” Mizuki asked quietly. “And are you sure this medicine man can help him?”

She didn’t answer. Mizuki looked again to Sei’s pained face. He seemed so fragile, and every breath he took was a struggle. He brushed fine wisps of hair off his sweaty forehead. Mizuki was overcome with a sense of sympathy. None of this would have happened if Sei hadn’t been brought here. Ripped away from his home, captured, beaten, and now poisoned. His life had been thrown at Mizuki and now all he could do was watch it fade away. 

“We should go,” the girl got up and dusted herself off. 

He laid Sei down to tend to the horse. It seemed much more calm and rested. The plow horse looked ready to retire, Mizuki just hoped it could make it into the town the girl promised and they could trade it for a running horse. He tried to lead the horse over to Sei but it resisted. 

“Come on,” Mizuki was tired of it fighting back.

“It can sense the Faye is dying,” the girl said. She had tied the extra cloak around her horse to give some relief between her legs and the horse's hide. “It will be uneasy.” 

Mizuki stroked the long nose of the animal. “We need you. We have to save him, come on,” he pulled the horse harder and it gave, walking closer to Sei’s resting form. The girl helped him steady the nervous horse as he balanced his way back on top of it holding Sei. 

“Thanks, um...” he looked down at her. 

“Haruka, my name is Haruka.” She mounted her own horse and they were off again. 

It was a few more hours before they left the region of the Old Kingdom and reached the town Haruka had mentioned. They had talked a little before reaching it. Mizuki asked where they were and felt better when he recognized the name of the town they were heading too. Storthold, a small trading town, that he had once been to as a child. It was also positioned south of the castle, putting them a little closer to where Koujaku had traveled. They decided that it was better if only Haruka went into town. The less suspicion they drew the better. She would trade the horse and send a message to Koujaku, one written in Mizuki’s hand that simply said, ‘wait for me.’ 

As she went into town Mizuki detoured off the path and rode a fair distance around it. He didn’t have to wait long when he came back around and found the cross roads they were supposed to meet at. She came trotting down the path with a young stead and even a gift of dinner. 

“My village is just east of here, near the base of the foothills. We can ride until we get tired, but the more ground we cover the better.” 

Mizuki was a little sunburnt, very dust covered, and beyond cranky, but he knew she was right. He readjusted Sei for the hundredth time. “Let’s go.” 

The path leading away from town was a little more crowded and both decided to wear the cloaks again and slow to a normal pace to avoid any attention. All it would take would be for someone to recognize the beloved prince and word of his where abouts would be sure to spread. They put a good distance into their journey and waited until they were traveling alone again before they became too tired to sit up anymore. Finding tree cover just off the main road they slept for a few fleeting hours before starting again. 

~~~

“Once we get to the next break in this road, I will go into my village and see how many people I can rally together to go back to the castle with me. A few days should be enough for any suspicions against me to fade. I’m sure none of the traders know me, and once I am back I can try to get more information.” Haruka had been coming up with elaborate plans for a take over the last few miles as the sun rose above them. But none of which Mizuki wanted to have to be true. 

“You should stay here until we know it's safe. I don’t want you going back and getting hurt.” Mizuki knew she was too determined to really listen. 

“Oh no no, I watched my home be over run once before, I will not let the same thing happen to the kingdom.” 

“The kingdom will not be over run. I have a rat in the palace and I know it leads right back to the Baron of the Isles. That is that. I will get it all figured out.” Mizuki ignored the scowl she gave him. “Anyways, where do I go after we part ways.” 

“The medicine man lives up the mountain in the forest of lakes. The Red Feather lake is the one you’ll look for and his home is going to be close by,” she explained. 

“That sounds very...mystic,” Mizuki was worried he wouldn’t be able to find it with such vague directions. He knew of the forest of lakes, so many lakes hidden in the mountains people claimed there was more water than trees in the rocky cliffs. But this would be the first time he went there himself. The Red lake was the most famous, shaped like a feather or a leaf and filled with red mud.

“Well he isn’t a normal doctor and he is very reclusive. My mother told me he used to live in the village but after they were over run he lost his family. And even after they migrated into your father’s kingdom he was never the same. He keeps to himself and practices the ancient arts of the old tribes all by himself.” 

“So how do you know about him?” 

She didn’t answer right away, and chewed her bottom lip, “the legends of the Faye are more common out here. How they used to live in clusters all over this world. But eventually the jealousy humans had for their power fueled them to start capturing the Faye, using them and sometimes their powers for their own good. The medicine man’s story comes from those times. I don’t know for sure. I just know he is the only one who might be able to save that poor boy.” 

Mizuki looked down at the smaller man still resting against his chest. Sei’s condition had only worsened, he was so pale and his breathing was so shallow now Mizuki had to keep checking he even still was. He felt a deep pain in his chest as he watched the helpless Faye cling to life. He would save him, he would do whatever it took. They rode a little longer in silence. Mizuki knew they would part soon so he asked her again for any details she could remember in directions. 

When they finally reached the bend in the road, the land had already started to incline and the tree line along the base hills were on the horizon. Haruka wished him luck and told him they would meet again soon. She followed the path as Mizuki lead his horse into the expanse of grass and bush towards the looming mountain peaks. 

He reached the tree line as the sun was setting. The terrain had become rockier and harder for the horse to walk steady as the hills lifted up towards the clouds. He pressed on, carefully maneuvering around trees and rocks deeper towards the heart of the forest were the lakes would be swaddled in the valleys of the hills, and hopefully he would be lead to the one filled with red mud and not lost to wonder the abyss of trees and dirt.


	5. five

Night had swept over the forest so fast Mizuki had not found a place to camp out before it was too dark to look around. He tried to keep going, knowing stopping would only lose him more time but as soon as the horse tripped over an unseen root and nearly sent them all tumbling back down the mountain, he knew he had no choice. He managed to find a fairly flat spot enough for the horse to rest and to lay Sei out and even build a pathetically small fire with twigs. It would do nothing for warmth and he had nothing to cook, but it was something. 

Mizuki watched the small flames lick at the fast burning twigs for a long while. Sei was laying on the other side of the fire, his face a tortured and ghostly form of what he had been only days ago. Mizuki felt a thick lump in his throat. This life, so frail and fleeting, his kingdom, tainted and breaking, all of it was staring him the face and here he sat, in a maze of dark trees and self pity. He wished for a moment the sun would never come up and instead he could just stay here, shadowed away from how horrible his world had become. 

He wiped at his eyes forcing himself to stop sniveling. Crying wouldn’t even make him feel better at this point, and it certainly wouldn’t help Sei. He made himself stop thinking like that. He had to keep trying. Tomorrow as soon as the sun started to rise he would start again, one step at a time. Save Sei, then save the kingdom...or something like that. 

Eventually he was able to sleep a little, but he woke every time Sei’s breathing caught or the horse moved, so by the time the sun was turning black to grey, he felt almost worse than he did before they stopped. His back was as stiff as stone and he was so hungry and thirsty and it was just cold enough in the early morning he couldn’t stop shivering. The horse refused to move at first and Mizuki briefly considered slaughtering it, but it finally behaved and stood. He tied Sei mostly to the saddle, using the bed sheet to tie his hands and secure his dangling legs so he could ride the horse alone. Mizuki lead it by the bridle through the ever sloping terrain and pulled it through some of the rockier areas. After what seemed like years of stumbling over rocks and getting smacked with low tree branches he heard water. The horse must have heard it too because it moved a little faster toward the noise. 

It was a tiny stream and the water was murky, but it was progress, and the horse didn't care. It knelt to drink and tempted Mizuki, but her feared his human body would not be able to drink the contaminated water, so he let it be. They followed the stream, feeling lucky it banked just enough to make the walk easier. Smaller streams snaked their way through the trees and fed into it, and every time they passed a new one Mizuki wondered if that was the one he should follow. But he didn’t, he kept climbing, hoping instead to find the source and in turn the other lakes. 

He was nearly ready to turn around and go find another of the larger streams when something caught his eye. In between the lush mossy ground crawling away from the stream was a streak of dark red, cutting through the ground like a wound. He ran ahead of the horse a little to check on it. It was water, moving water, but diluted with red sand. He followed it and saw that as it fed into the mainstream it became less red and washed out. The reason this stream looked so murky was because of the red stream. Which meant that just feet before the streams converged was the clearest water Mizuki had ever seen. He smiled uncontrollably and fell to his knees in the clean water, rising his hands and then drinking. He tried to cup his hands and force Sei to drink too, but the Faye was so unresponsive that it did not good. Not wasting time on his small victory, Mizuki quickly lead the horse in the new direction following the red water.

Keeping his eyes trained on the ground while leading the horse he used his minute forestry skill to try an locate a path. He had spent a few nights hunting with his father in the royal hunting grounds and they looked for animal tracks and he even showed young Mizuki how to snare a rabbit. Although none of it was proving any good right now. He was looking for signs of life, that if a human had been living around here or if he was close he was sure to find some sign. He thought at one point he had found a foot trail and he followed it for a while, seeing a broken branch here and there which revived his quick fading hope. 

The terrain became more and more difficult the more they followed the red stream, so much that he feared he may have to leave the horse behind. With every new steep face, the idea seemed better and better, and just as he was ready to untie Sei, he let it get over one more high face. The horse found its footing and powered over the high rocks. Mizuki followed pulling himself over the rock and nearly fell right back down. The view he was met with was stunning. Monstrously high coal blue stone, cradling glistening red water and sunburst blue sky, with a spattering of green trees, Mizuki had never seen anything like it. He pulled the horse to the water’s edge and walked while still staring at the landscape. The lake was huge making it that much more impressive to be raised so high in the mountains. It would take another full day to try and walk around he looked carefully trying to decide which direction to go. There were steep rocks on the left bank that made his knees ache just looking at, so he choose right. Leading the horse and still looking for where the elusive medicine man might live. 

The water closest to them was clear and placid, he noticed the red color came from the center of the lake and reflected on the surface. He knew iron caused the earth to turn such a color, and in his current situation it made him a little uneasy. The natural beauty of his surrounding were certainly over powering but it was all the more a reminder that he was only a small part of a much bigger existence. He didn’t let his thoughts wander too far and focused on where to go. Closer to the trees he noticed stones that seemed conveniently spaced apart that had a red wash against them and the farther he walked the closer together they got until finally there were two side by side. The trees were dense between them but Mizuki was purposefully looking and able to see the flattened moss and grass hidden by branches. It was an entrance. It had to be.   
He passed through struggling through several low branches the path became apparent quickly and the trees parted not deep in. As much as excitement urged him to run forward cation kept him at a tentative pace, figuring someone who went through this much trouble to be along might not be welcoming of guests. 

The path wasn’t long and exceedingly easier than the terrain he had already been through. Soon he came up on a small wooden dwelling crafted of thick logs and adorn with outside furniture and ornate glass decorations, it was like a sanctuary to Mizuki. Caution aside he ran ahead, jumping the three wooden steps of the porch and knocking on the heavy wooden door. Silence. Only the sounds of the horse lamely trying to catch up and a few birds in the trees. Mizuki knocked again, harder.

“Hey, is anyone home? Hey?” From deep within the house Mizuki thought he heard something. He pressed his ear to the door. 

“Leave.” A deep voice bellowed from the other side, scaring Mizuki so much he stumbled back.

“What? Hey, open up. Please I need help.” He tried again, regaining his footing. 

“I cannot help you, so leave.” The voice was stern, but Mizuki was desperate. All the control he had held on to broke as he slammed his fist into the door again. 

“I won’t, I came here for you help. Please you have to help me,” he yelled at the door feeling the burning threat of frustrated tears. “You are the only one who can help, please. Haruka sent me.” Mizuki’s chest heaved as his breathing fought against his screaming. There was no answer from the voice and Mizuki was about to yell again when he heard footsteps inside. The sound of metal and sliding wood prefaced the most subtle opening of the large wooden door, just enough that a bright blue eye could peek between the crack. 

“Haruka?” this voice was different, still deep, but younger and somehow softer. 

“Yes, she told me where to find you, she said you might be able to help my friend,” Mizuki stepped back so the eye could see horse standing at the foot of the porch. The door opened more and Mizuki could see the man fully now. Taller than himself he had dark skin, one bright blue eye, the other covered by a decorated patch and a tangle of gauzy pink braids in his hair. He stepped passed Mizuki and carefully lifted the sheet away from Sei’s face. 

“He is dying. What happened to him?” the man turned to Mizuki with an accusatory look. 

“He was poisoned. Iron, I think. I mean...” Mizuki tried to explain.

“Let him die then.” Mizuki jumped again. Another man, the voice from before had appeared in the doorway. He was even taller and had thick muscles and his braided hair was decorated with beads and feathers that matched the decorations of the house. 

“No, please, he…” Mizuki felt so desperate and yet so helpless, “please. He can’t die. I can give you anything you want please.” 

The younger man began pulling at the bed sheet, untying Sei. “You’re right,” he grunted, “he can’t. He is Faye. We don’t die like you.” 

“He is not our problem. Tori, stop,” the man in the doorway barked, but he younger didn’t stop. Mizuki ran over to help him lower Sei off the horse before he could change his mind and listen to his larger, scarier companion. 

“He is Faye, Mink. Didn’t you hear me? He is my problem,” the man, Tori, snapped back. Mink let out something like a growl as Tori and Mizuki hulled Sei’s limp form into the house. It was dark inside, only the light coming through the drawn curtains illuminated the silhouette of furniture. The inside very much match the outside, all wood, woven and crafted decorations and a warm sense of inhabitants. Tori lead Mizuki down a very small hallway and kicked open the door. A pile of thick quilts made up a bed and Tori helped lay Sei down before wrenching open the curtain for better light. 

“Tori, this doesn’t concern us,” Mink had followed them and was now scowling at the entrance of the bedroom still trying to voice his opinion. 

“How can you say that? He was lead here for my help, how am I supposed to just let him fade?” Tori pushed Mizuki aside and began to unwrap Sei from his protective bed sheets. 

“Just like every other creature waiting to meet its end,” Mink shook his head. “This will only cause more trouble.” 

Tori finally let out a short breath and turned on Mink. “So are you saying that when you pulled me back from fading that it only caused you more trouble?” He glared at Mink with a hurtful gaze. Mink held his stern expression, unchanged, for a long moment. 

“Well it is right now,” was barely grumbled out before he turned and walked back down the hall. Mizuki saw Tori roll his eye before turning back to Sei. 

“How long has he been like this?” he turned Sei’s head and inspected the bruising that now snaked its way down his throat and had started staining his chest.

He looked awful and what little expression he could still make was one of pain. Mizuki felt sick as he helplessly watched Tori examine him. “Um, about two days,” Mizuki mumbled, trying to keep his voice steady. Tori removed more of the bed sheet and pulled one of Sei’s arms free of the cloth and stopped. He held Sei’s pale hand in his own and studied the tattoos that covered his fingers and wrist. Mink appeared in the doorway again, still looking angry enough to kill, but holding a small wooden box and fresh clothes. Tori looked back at him and showed him Sei’s hand. 

“What? What’s wrong?” Mizuki couldn’t tell what either man was thinking. 

“He’s a Faye Nokt,” Tori whispered. 

“I’ll get the big medicine box,” Mink grumbled and again turned and left. 

“Why is that bad?” Mizuki was worrying they might turn them away again. 

“Do you know nothing, human?” Tori carefully caressed his wrist. “Well, it could get bad, if he ‘dies’ we are all in for a bad situation. The balance will be devastated.” Tori didn’t explain anymore. He hurriedly undressed Sei now and as soon as Mink came back opened the medicine box and began taking out colorful vials of various substances. Mink did too, mixing liquids together and adding a black powder into a stone bowl until he had a slimy black mess of crushed herbs and heavily scented essences. 

“Is there something I can do?” Mizuki asked. 

“Yeah, hold his head up,” Tori instructed. Mizuki did and Tori took the concoction Mink had made, sticking his finger in before opening Sei’s bruised lips. He forced his finger down Sei’s throat and repeated giving him the awful liquid one finger full at a time. Sei’s chest expanded as he began to choke and Mizuki worried for a moment they had done something wrong. Tori didn’t stop, he covered Sei’s nose and mouth.

“What are you doing? He can’t breath,” Mizuki wanted to move the man’s hand away.

“He has to absorb it, if it doesn’t soak up the iron this won’t work.” Tori explained. He had shut his eyes and Mizuki noticed that what he had thought to be freckles on the man’s face were actually little symbols, that had begun to glow, the same brilliant blue color as his eye. Tori whispered words in a language that fit the Faye lilt perfectly. More marks revealed themselves under each of his fingernails and the blue glow creeped its way unto Sei’s skin. Sei’s chest rose and fell more violently now as he began to struggle. His fingers tightened into the quilts and his eyes squeezed shut. 

Mink at some point left and came back with a dirty wooden bucket and set it near them. Tori’s chanting became more intense and he held Sei down, smearing the remaining medicine on Sei’s arm and Mizuki’s leg in their struggle. Just when Mizuki thought for sure Sei couldn’t take any more, Tori lifted his hand off his mouth with one final verse. Sei’s eyes shot open and his back arched off the bed as he gasped for air. 

“Grab the bucket,” Tori snapped at Mizuki. He did and just in time. He had pretty good idea what was about to happen. He put the bucket near Sei’s face and used his other hand to push him over so when he began to violently throw up everything that had just been shoved down his throat it made it mostly in the bucket. Mizuki tried to steady him and keep most of Sei’s hair out of his face. His whole body convulsed as he choked and vomited over and over. His voice broke in between strangled inhales and heaving exhales until finally he had nothing left inside him. He fell forward and Mizuki almost dropped the bucket trying to keep him from falling into it. Mink took the bucket with a furious look of disgust. Tori was sitting on the bed catching his own breath, the glow fading from his marks and a fresh coat of sweat covered his dark skin. 

Mizuki held Sei and used his sleeve to wipe the soiled hair off his face. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing, and even moving a little trying to hold onto Mizuki. He was sweaty too, and covered in the slimy medicine and his own sick, but through it all Mizuki could see that the horrid bruises were completely gone. Mizuki felt himself smile. Sei’s dark lashes fluttered weakly and those midnight eyes found him in the haze of everything.

“Mizu..ki” his voice was hoarse and it took all his strength to even look up at Mizuki. 

“You’re going to be alright, Sei.” Mizuki pulled him closer. 

“Ahl..right,” Sei let himself be moved, and took his familiar place against Mizuki’s chest as he fought exhaustion. 

“Mizuki?” he heard Mink say his name from the far side of the bedroom. “As in crown Prince Mizuki?”

He was about to answer and own up to his title but he was cut off by Tori. “Oh shut up, it’s only more reason we needed to help.” He was starting to breath normally but he looked just as worn out as Mizuki felt. 

“Troublesome,” Mink sneered before leaving the room.

“Don’t mind him. Despite his attitude we are loyal to the crown and its family.” Tori finally pulled himself off the bed and grabbed one of the linen’s Mink had brought in before. Mizuki used it to clean Sei a little more before wrestling off his own filthy shirt. 

“Thank you, for everything. I know I can compensate any hardships we cause you, later. But right now,” he didn’t know exactly how to say it. “Right now, there is something happening, and all I know is we were in a lot of trouble. Your help not only saved him but, maybe even the whole kingdom.” 

“Obviously,” Tori stated, “for now, you should be alright. He is still healing and will have a rough few hours as his body compensates for the poison. As long as he is strong he will make it through the night. Stay with him and rest.”

Mizuki thanked him again and as soon as he closed the door he laid back on the quilts. Sei was curled on his side, close to Mizuki. He didn’t seem to be suffering like he was before, but Mizuki still see pain in his sleeping face. He watched him a little longer before his exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep.


	6. six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean to neglect this story for so long...I do plan to finish

It was dark when Mizuki woke again. Sei was still curled up next to him, completely unchanged, a pained expression, and steady forceful breathing, but he didn’t look any worse. Mizuki hoped his ‘healing’ was working. The air in the cabin was stale, and the bed wasn’t terribly comfortable but Mizuki already felt a lot better. He intended to go right back to sleep but his body said otherwise, he had to pee, and bad. After hardly eating or drinking for two days he was amazed at the urgency his body was needing to expel anything. He got up carefully not wanting to move Sei too much and tiptoed to the door. There was still light pushing through the crack on the floor, so Mizuki very quietly opened it enough to look out. He was hoping Tori was still up and that he wouldn’t have to deal with Mink. He peered down the little hall and could see there was a fire going in the front room, and two figures silhouetted on the large sofa.

 

Quiet voices drifted down the hall. “It’s not too late. We could still kill it and the prince would think it died on its own,” Mink was resting his head against the top of Tori’s and Mizuki could see his large fingers drifting lazily through the pink braids. 

 

“How can you say that? Especially since the prince seems to trust him.” Tori said back, he sounded weak. 

 

“The prince is ignorant, he has no idea about the Faye. And I can say that because that thing nearly killed you. A moment longer and it would have syphoned all your power.”

 

“But he didn’t. I think he is different and I think he is connected to everything that’s been going on,” Tori got up off Mink and Mizuki quickly made his presence known before he was suspected of listening to them. 

 

He gently cleared his throat, “um, excuse me?” 

 

“Oh,” Tori rose, looking a little surprised. “Your Highness, are you alright? How is, um, Sei was the name you said. ” 

 

“Yes, yeah, we both are, I just need...where is the restroom?” 

 

“Of course, this is a cabin, so it’s outside. You can see it from the porch,” Tori pointed at  the front door. Mizuki thanked him but he didn’t move just yet. He would have to leave Sei alone. He knew Tori wouldn’t try anything but after what he just heard Mink say, he felt uneasy. 

 

“Do you want me to show you?” Tori asked when he didn’t move. 

 

“No,” he couldn’t say anything else without giving away what he had heard. He walked out of the cabin without looking back at the bedroom and ran barefoot across the little walkway leading to the outhouse. He wasn’t gone for more than a few minutes and when he came back Tori was sitting again leaning up against Mink, and three steaming ceramic mugs were sitting on the table in front of the fire. Mizuki swallowed his breath and made an obvious glance toward the hall with the bedroom door. He was about to head that way and check on Sei but Tori spoke up.

 

“Since you are awake, do you mind discussing something things?” he asked. His voice was so calming Mizuki wanted to do whatever he said, but he also felt the same compulsion to check on Sei. He glanced down the hall again toward the closed bedroom door. “Prince Mizuki, he is what we would like to discuss. Please just sit.” 

 

“Right, I figured.” Mizuki did sit. Tori offered him the teacup which he took gratefully. 

 

“Why does the prince have a Faye of the Nokt with him?” Mink got straight to the point earning him an angry sigh from Tori. 

 

“It’s a good question,” Mizuki agreed trying to sort out the best answer. “Our meeting was an accidental one. He was being used as a bargaining tool and it was because of me he ended up...hurt.”  

 

“Your Highness,” Tori began, but Mizuki stopped him.

 

“Please, just my name is fine.” 

 

“Right, Mizuki...what do you know about him?” the way Tori asked Mizuki could tell he was fishing for more than a simple answer.

 

“Not much. And honestly I don’t know much about your kind at all. I know the Faye live among the people of the kingdom, but I am ashamed to say I am oblivious to much else. My closest friend is half Faye blooded but he acts more human and denies his magic so I have never met another until now.” Mizuki hoped that was good enough and that he could turn the tables and get answers to improve against his ignorance.

 

“I see, well, in that case maybe I can help you understand a little more about my kind,” Tori rested his own cup in his lap as he continued. “It’s very likely I am not the first Faye you have met. We are integrated in the kingdom extensively, living with humans and shielding our powers. You may know that before we were hunted and our powers exploited, before the time of your father the Late King. After he opened the borders of this kingdom for all peaceful races the smarter of us slipped into other cultures unnoticed. Others of us, like myself were not so smart. But I was lucky in the end.” He stopped a moment and Mizuki noticed that Mink’s hand tightened on the smaller man’s shoulder in a protective touch. 

 

“Faye like me are everywhere, but Faye like him-”

 

“Faye Nokt, you mean?” Mizuki interrupted him again.

 

“Yes, Faye Nokt, are extremely rare and hardly ever seen especially alone. You see, a Faye like me has a small mixture of power drawn from the natural elements of the world. But he…” Tori paused and his blue eye flicked upward as he thought of the right words. “It’s hard to explain to a human….the world has a balance. Humans tend to see, light  _ or  _ dark, good  _  or _ bad, but it isn’t so. You see there is never one without the other. The Nokt is part of that balance.” Tori had been gesturing in the air with hands and stopped to see if Mizuki was understanding. 

 

“You said before, that if he died, the balance would be broken. How is that?” 

 

“Think of it this way,” Mink spoke now, “if night was taken away, everything would burn in the sun, but if you away the sun, nothing would grow. The sun sheds life giving light while the moon provides a shadowed rest. But it’s in the darkness that things are unclear.”

 

Mizuki chewed at his bottom lip. “You think he may be hiding something?”

 

“Maybe not,” Tori again tried to mediate them. “Faye like him usually are incredibly powerful, and usually they are able to be deceitful, or use trickery, or a kind of magic that is not as obvious as other Faye.” 

 

“I know what you mean,” Mizuki understood now.

 

“You do? I mean that’s good,” Tori looked surprised. 

 

“When he was first brought to me, he attacked me out of fear. It felt like he was reaching inside me and scraping out my soul. It was horrible, like I would never be myself again. But then later when we were able to talk a little he said he couldn’t use his power anymore,” Mizuki explained. He saw a flicker in Tori and Mink’s expression. “What? What’s wrong?”

 

“He attacked you?” Tori asked slowly.

 

“Well, yeah, but he was scared and hurt, I mean-”

 

“To live after a Faye touched your soul,” Mink’s voice was very soft now, and he moved his protective hand back to Tori’s head soothing the worried expression the smaller man gave him, “they become defenseless to you. Their power embeds itself in you.” To further his point, Mink shifted and pulled at the collar of his shirt. The same pattern of symbols that decorated Tori’s face were also branded into messy scar that marred Mink’s chest. “When I took him away from the humans that had captured him, I was stabbed. In his effort to save me we both nearly died, and in return became bound.” Tori brushed his fingers over the scar, the memory seemed to be painfully recent for him despite the scar looking so old. Mink fixed his shirt and resumed holding Tori.

 

“He can’t use his power on me then? We are bound because he didn’t kill me?” Mizuki asked after a moment. 

 

“Yes, and whether you like it or not, you are now a part of the Faye Nokt. If the Faye world falls into turmoil, you cannot ignore it like a normal human now,” Mink continued. 

 

The news maybe didn’t shock Mizuki as much as Mink thought it would. He only shook his head slowly. “Even if I wasn’t connected to the Faye like this, it’s my job to help. My kingdom is one of peace, and if the Faye are here and suffering, then it is already affecting me. And even more importantly there is already turmoil within the kingdom,” he let out a heavy sigh. “I am grateful for all you two have done already, so I won’t burden you with any more involvement. We will leave when Sei is able to move.” 

 

“You are safe here, for now,” Mink nodded at him. “He will need time to recover. Take him to the obsidian spring tomorrow, it's just past the first ridge above the lake. The minerals in the spring were helpful to Tori’s recovery many years ago. It’s what brought us here.”

 

“Thank you,” Mizuki finished his tea and went back to bed after saying goodnight. Sei was still unmoved, but when Mizuki laid down next to him, he let out a small moan, and his fingers uncoiled just a little from the tight fist he had them in. Mizuki carefully slipped one finger into the Faye’s palm feeling the fevered heat of his skin. 

 

“So you and I are connected now, huh?” He thought maybe he should be worried, but as he laid there watching Sei sleep, no fear came or worry came. “I wonder how Koujaku will feel about this? Being my first Faye after all, I’ll be a little hurt if he isn’t jealous.”

~~~

 

Mizuki slept well into the day and when he woke again his arm had fallen numb under him from being stuck under his body all night. He groaned as he rolled over. He felt like he had fallen down a mountain rather than climbed up one. His muscles hurt and he had numerous scratches all over. And as awful as all that was, the worst feeling was hunger. His stomach hurt so bad he feared it had begun to eat itself. Sei was still asleep so he snuck back out of the room and out to the main area. In the light it was still very cozy, decorated with handmade blankets and all wood amendments. There was a small kitchen in the same open area as the sofa and fireplace complete with a carved wooden table, and on top and wooden basket filled with berries and bread and even dried meat. Mizuki hoped dearly it was all meant for him because once he began he could hardly stop eating. It was nothing as elaborate as anything he would have eaten in the palace, but it was fresh. He did force himself to leave some bread and berries to bring to Sei. He found a pitcher of water as well and poured two wooden cup fulls. Drinking one himself and hoping to give the other to Sei. He looked around for Mink and Tori but the two were nowhere to be found. Even looking through the front windows all that he could see was his horse still dumbly wondering the small clearing.

 

He grabbed the breakfast and water and headed back to the room. He hadn’t noticed before but folded next to the door were linen shirts and leather pants and even a pair of worn boots. He left them for now, but planned on bringing them with them after they went to the spring Mink had suggested. 

 

Sei may need them before, Mizuki noticed he was mostly naked, still tangled in the now very dirty bed sheet, and the remnants of the tattered sleeping shirt. He set the food and water down and tried to cover him a little more before waking him. He touched Sei’s shoulder shaking him gently and calling his name. His expression had eased and when he came to he was clearly looking at Mizuki. 

 

“Good, you’re awake. How are you feeling?” Mizuki asked quietly. Sei’s dark eyes stared at him for a moment then looked slowly around him. 

 

“Whe-” he tried to speak but his voice cracked and he coughed a little. 

 

“Here,” Mizuki grabbed the water and helped him sit up a little. “Drink it slow.” Sei was still too weak to hold the cup himself but drank as Mizuki tilted it for him. When it was nearly empty Mizuki put down again, helping Sei sit all the way up and making sure the covers stayed on. Sei looked around the room and the confusion was apparent right away. 

 

“This is, well, I have no clue really where it is, but we are safe. For now anyways,” Mizuki added. 

 

“But...how? How are we…”

 

“Still alive?” Mizuki finished. “I don’t know, luck maybe.” 

 

“There is no such thing,” Sei said dully. “How did you save me?”

 

“I only brought you here. There is another Faye here, and he saved you. He made something that made you throw up all the poison and then used his power to save you. I think they are out right now but they will be back later,” Mizuki babbled out a condensed explanation, the details weren’t important at this point. 

 

“You shouldn’t have,” Sei whispered. Mizuki was about to get angry but before he could Sei began to cry. He didn’t try to hide it like before, he didn’t try to hold himself together and there was no pride left in how he held himself. “I deserve to die after what I did to you,” he sobbed. “And it will only get worse if I am with you now.” 

 

“Sei? No, what happened before, its-”

 

“No,” Sei sobbed harder. “You don’t get it. All of this is my fault. And I messed up.” 

 

Mizuki could only watch as everything caught up to Sei, he felt like there was nothing he could do to comfort the crying Faye. His dark hair fell over both sides of his face as he pushed his fists to his wet eyes and shook with every heavy breath. 

 

“I think we have a lot to talk about,” Mizuki whispered after a while. “I’ve figured a few things out on my own but I think you still have some of the answers I need. Besides, if you died because you were brought to me, I don’t know if I could have handled that, so please don’t say things like that. I want you to live.”

 

Sei’s crying finally waned to a soft whimper and he looked to Mizuki through wet lashes. 

 

“Whatever you have to tell me, that feeling won’t change,” Mizuki took one of his trembling hands in his own. “And whatever you believe you’ve done, can’t be any worse than what you have already endured.”  

 

Sei seemed like he would speak but settled for a small trusting nod. Mizuki grabbed the little basket of food, “you should eat something. Our hosts left it for us.” 

 

He picked up one of the bread slices and bit at the corner. “I don’t really know the last time I ate, yet I don’t feel hungry.” 

 

“You were violently ill last night so it’s understandable. But try and eat to get some or your strength back.” Sei did as he was told and ate most of the bread and a few berries. He looked about ready to fall asleep again, but Mizuki kept him awake. 

 

“I’m going to take you to a spring. Can you try and stay awake?”

 

“A spring?”

 

“They told me about a hot spring that has healing properties for Faye, not far from here. If the horse stuck around it will be a quick trip.” Mizuki tried to look out the bedroom window but all he could see were trees. 

 

“The horse is still here,” Sei said and stared at the far wall as if he could see it. 

 

“Well maybe it will do good at the hot spring too. I’m guessing you can’t walk yet?” Sei tried to move but even just struggling to hold himself all the way up was exhausting him. 

“I don’t think so, I’m sorry,” Sei downcast his eyes again.

 

“It’s okay, just wait here. I’ll get a few things ready and come back for you.” He gave Sei’s hand a gentle squeeze before getting up off the bed. He gathered the clothes left for them and readied the horse. Sei was easy to carry and put on the horse now that he was conscious and in no time they were off. 

 

They made their way back toward the red lake and out of the denser trees. Sei watched the scenery with wide eyes and when they approached the lake he started in awe.

 

“What is this place?” 

 

Mizuki slowed his lead of the horse so Sei could stare out over the red water and breathtaking scenery. 

 

“It a lake filled with mud that runs out of the iron caves, I think. After what I saw iron do to you I’m surprised you are interested in it.” 

 

“I’m more interested as to why another Faye would live this close to it. Even the air smells of it.” Sei scrunched his nose. 

 

Mizuki picked what looked like a pretty straight forward path up one of the hills that formed the valley but it was still a fairly steep climb. Just as Mizuki’s calves began to burn a little and they were a good distance from the lake he started to hear trickling water. It wasn’t hard to find the spring pools after that, nestled steaming pockets in the rock bed. He found a pool large enough he, Sei, and even the horse could have easily fit in it, although the horse showed no interest in actually getting in the water. 

 

Mizuki helped Sei off the horse and let the animal roam among the trees away from the pools for the time being. Sei assured him it wouldn't go far, but Mizuki really didn’t care. Sei shed the rags that clung to him as Mizuki faced the other way and stripped too. He awkwardly carried the now naked Faye to the pools edge and eased them into the water. Sei didn’t seem to mind being close to him and nude. Even as they settled into a spot among the black rocks and hot water he still held close to Mizuki with weak arms linked behind Mizuki’s neck.  

 

The water felt amazing on all of Mizuki’s aching muscles, the heat relaxed even the bottoms of his throbbing feet. But whatever wonderful properties in the water were making Mizuki feel good it was nothing compared to what it was doing for Sei.  

 

The Faye was overcome with the sensation of the water. As the heat and minerals infused in the water washed over his skin and entered him with every deep breath he became more and more doll like in Mizuki's arms. Mizuki had gotten used to the feeling of him lifeless against him but this felt different. His head fell against Mizuki’s shoulder, his hands loosened their grip behind his neck and slid down Mizuki’s chest, and his breathing came even slow. Sei was relaxed, and holding on to Mizuki. He tried not to let himself think about how erotic it was to have their wet skin pressed against each other, or the soft content sounds coming from Sei as he became almost intoxicated by the water. After having watched him suffer for several days Mizuki took deep pleasure in watching him feel good now.

 

He moved his own hand up along Sei’s spine in the water, feeling him lean into Mizuki’s palm, slipping farther into the water until he was nearly floating, Mizuki took care to hold the back of his head and keep his face out of the water. He watched the tension leave Sei’s face, his eyes slipped shut, his lips parted and he took steady breaths, and his hair spread like oil over the water’s surface. He trusted Mizuki, letting himself be moved by the stronger man, somehow after everything they had been through in such a short time, Mizuki found that to be the most beautiful about him.

 

He let Sei’s legs stay draped over his thighs and carefully used his other hand that wasn’t holding his head, start roaming his body under the water and cleaning off any of the dirt and grime that stuck to him. There were still marks from the barron’s chains and dirt from sleeping on the ground. He used his wet fingers to clean his face of any remaining medicine that was caked to his cheeks, and gently washed away the tear stains around his eyes.

 

Sei had had his eyes closed, but opened them when he felt Mizuki stop touching his face. Those dark orbs focused on him and they stayed just like that for a moment. Mizuki couldn’t help but stare back. In the sunlight that peeked through the canopy of trees Mizuki could see flecks of midnight blue in those eyes. He felt like the longer he stared the closer he was to Sei, the more he knew him, so close that even their beating hearts matched in rhythm. Somehow it synched with the ebb of the pool around them, they were part of the water, a small part of the spring, and even a smaller part of the mountain. It humbled him and made him feel immense power all at the same time.

 

“Sei,” Mizuki whispered. He had never felt anything like this  before.

 

“Can you sense it?” Sei’s lips barely moved but he understood clearly. “This is Nokt.”

 


	7. seven

As Mizuki held Sei in the pool he let that unearthly feeling fill him as he centered himself in Sei’s eyes. It flowed so deep in the world he thought he would never see the end and never be able to turn back. Everything aligned, everything was calm, dark and cool, Mizuki was prepared to let it be. He felt like he was at the bottom of the deepest lake and the roots of everything had dipped in with him, the hum of life and the pull of death pressed in on him with a dark warmth. He let his mind shift, float on any direction and farther into nothingness.  He felt like it would last forever when something suddenly shifted. Something was wrong, too hot, too far, fear clenched his heart and his mind.

“Mizuki!” His eyes snapped open and he was back in the pool, just he and Sei, the universe far away again. Sei had moved on his own, he was no longer floating at Mizuki’s mercy, but instead standing over Mizuki and grasping his face in warm wet hands. Sei’s hair clung to his face and little droplets of water sprinkled own onto Mizuki’s cheeks. “Where did you go, prince?” he whispered in a tone somewhere between amusement and reprimanding. “I let you touch Nokt and you run into the void head first.” 

“What was that? Where…”

 

“Your fearlessness may take you to dark places, prince.” Sei released his face and sat back down in the water, next to Mizuki now.

“I didn’t, I just…I felt this,” Mizuki looked around at the serine little pool again trying his best to form a question that may help, but he was so far lost he couldn’t even ask about what he didn’t know.

 

“You felt, Nokt, or at least the things connected to it. Faye power comes from the earth and cosmos alike. All things in it fall between the realm of Nokt or Lyft. This pool, the water, the moon, even the horse are all things that look towards the Nokt realm, close enough I call it mine” Sei paused and moved his slender fingers in the water,  “and now you do too, because of me.”

“Our connection, because your power touched me?” Mizuki asked. Sei looked at him a little surprised. “I talked a little with the other Faye, Tori, and he told me that because you touched my soul, and I lived, we now are connected. The same thing happened to him and the man who lives here, Mink.” As  Mizuki talked Sei nodded a little in understanding. Even though he was only a few inches away suddenly now that they weren’t somehow touching, he felt like they were on different end of the kingdom.

 

“It would  be similar, but I think you need to understand that I am not like other Faye. The things that may apply to Tori or your friend from the palace do not apply to me. This Tori embedded a piece of his power in the human Mink and now lives out here in seclusion because he broke a Faye law. I did not mark and you have no control over me or my power, you were simply pulled into the Nokt. But you are not Faye….and now not human…” Sei contemplated.

 

“So what does that make me?” Mizuki was as confused as Sei sounded. 

 

“I don’t know, to my knowledge this has never happened before.”

 

Mizuki nodded, taking in what the Faye said. Without having felt the Nokt just now he thought none of this would make sense. He tried to make sense of what he had felt and what Sei was saying. “These realms, they coexists don’t they like layers in one universe? The dark, the Nokt, where we were is parallel to the Lyft, and in between lives everything but us.” 

 

Now Sei nodded having nothing more to add. “If its is all part of one larger whole why does Tori seem to distrust the Nokt? Even you act as if it something to be wary of?” 

 

“All power deserves caution but there is a stigma around Nokt, it is where darkness is born and sleeps with death, but it is not as most think. You will understand, I hope.” Sei’s voice choked, Mizuki was sure there was so much more meaning to his hope or Mizuki’s ability to understand.

 

“I am quick to learn and open minded, Sei. All I need is for you to help me understand.”

 

“How are you not scared? I would be, if someone told me I would be damned to walk with darkness. But you keep pressing forward.”

 

“Fear is what has lead us to be here. I won’t fear what faces me now, I can’t. As long as I have you to guide me, darkness doesn’t scare me,” Mizuki spoke from his heart, feeling his confidence returning as he believed what he said. 

 

“Fear has a lot of control, doesn’t it? It is true, it is why I am here, I was controled by my fear.” Sei choked, tears slipped down his face and fell into the pool mixing with the water.   “I am darkness, my power was unruly as night itself and now it is nothing, never would I thought I could be controlled.”

 

“Sei? What are talking about? You just said I can’t control you?” Mizuki couldn’t imagine anything that would rival the power of Nokt. 

 

“Not you. It was my heart. That monster took the only thing in this world I cannot lose. He told me if I clouded your mind and delivered you to him he would release me. That is why I was delivered to your castle.”

“But you didn’t try to cloud my mind, I felt it, you intended to kill me,” Mizuki felt a little sick remembering the feeling of Sei pulling on his soul.

 

“It’s true,” he whispered to the dark water. “I would have rather been the Faye to kill the prince than the one to hand over the kingdom to that monster. I thought it would have been my only chance. But you...somehow you resisted and lived, and resisted again when I stupidly tried to seduce you.”

 

Mizuki thought Sei would cry again as he had before but was relieved when the Faye took a shuddered breath and collected his emotions. “Sei, this is important information. Why didn't you just tell me the morning you woke up? I could have helped you.”

 

Sei shook his head, “once I failed, I knew I was too late. There is nothing we can do. Even saving me has only made things worse.” Sei took another deep breath before finally looking away from the water and up to Mizuki. “That monster planned to have me control you, to use you as a tool in his plan to obtain your kingdom. That is all I know about what he wanted.”

 

“If he planned on making me slave to him why go through the trouble of asking for the forest?” 

 

“To have a reason for me to get close to you, I would guess” Sei shrugged. “His greed blinded him to any forward thought or consequence. He has no idea what he has done.”  

 

“I don’t think he understands how power works. Even with a few rats in my own counsel he must have known that wouldn't be enough. I may be the prince but my word only goes so far as the kingdom desires. Eventually he would have been met with revolt, what then?” Mizuki saw Sei’s expression darken.  

 

“He has a weapon,” he said quietly. “What he took from me.”

 

Sadness crept into Mizuki’s heart, Sei’s sadness. “Sei, what is this weapon?”

 

“Aoba,” Sei’s lips trembled. “My brother, Aoba.”

 

“A Faye of Lyft?” he asked already hearing the answer in his own thoughts. Everything about balance and how Tori had said Nokt were rarely alone, all made perfect sense. Sei’s other half, his balancing light, and the only thing he couldn’t live without. 

 

“He took Aoba away from me, captured him. I am so scared for what has been done to him. I can’t imagine what is happening.” 

 

“Do you know where they took him?” Mizuki asked.

 

“The forest at the edge of your kingdom. The monster already inhabits it, and the longer Aoba is there his power may start acting out of control. Flares of destruction, while the flora around the forest Aoba is in will begin to take over and the fauna around me will start to die. These are the kinds of consequences the barron does not understand. You see, the farther I am from him, the weaker I get, but it’s the opposite for him. His power will blossom out of control, growing stronger and stronger,” Sei shuddered. “If I had faded away there would be nothing for Aoba’s power to counteract, it may have saved him.” 

Mizuki’s mind raced as he got answers it only spurred more questions. “If we get you back to him,  will his power be controlled?”

“I don’t know,” Sei said dully.

 

“We need to get you back to him, we need to head to the forest, there has to be something we can do once we are there.” Mizuki could feel Sei’s displeasure with his optimism but it was only more reason to be confident, he hoped that some of it would reach Sei’s closed off heart. “The guard, I told you about before, he was heading toward the forest, do you think he could have known about this?”

 

“If he is Faye, then yes. The balance of magic is already a mess and any Faye will be affected. You felt the disorder yourself.” It was clear he wasn’t convinced they could make a difference. Mizuki knew there was nothing else he could say at the moment to make him believe either. He looked up to the trees above them trying to rest his racing thoughts and focus on only the next step. They needed to find Koujaku. In order to do that Sei needed to be well enough to travel. He hoped the bath had done enough for him. 

 

“We’ve been here a long time. Come on, we should head back. We’ll stay one more night, and head out first thing in the morning. My guard should still be waiting for me in the east and from there we will go to your brother.”

 

Sei didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need Mizuki’s help out of the bath and they dried with one of the linens they had been given. The new clothes fit Mizuki well, both sets must have been Tori’s because the loose knit shirt and leather pants fit Mizuki fine but drapped off Sei’s slim shoulders, sagged off his slender hips and he had to tie the boots extra tight to keep them on.  


End file.
